Page 32 of Echos and Empires
William stood there for a moment, his mind racing with the implications of their encounter. The woman’s story had only served to deepen his suspicions about Victor and his insidious influence over the island’s residents. He knew he couldn’t ignore the warning signs any longer, couldn’t turn a blind eye to the growing darkness that threatened to engulf them all.
But as he turned to make his way back to his walk, a sudden realization washed over him like a cold wave. The night, with its inky shadows and eerie stillness, held more dangers than he had initially realized. Out here, alone and vulnerable, he was an easy target for whatever Victor might be doing, or if his men lurked in the darkness.
“Home then.”
“Feels more dangerous this morning,”William said to no one with a sigh as he woke with a heavy heart, the conversation with the woman he didn’t know from the previous night still echoing in his mind. It should only be the pregnancy he thought of, but fear for the island made that the second though.
Dressing quickly, he stood outside the room where Emma and Liam still slept. As he watched Emma’s peaceful form beside him, her hand resting protectively over the gentle swell of herbelly, a fierce determination seized him. He would do whatever it took to keep her safe, to ensure that their child would grow up in a world free from the twisted influence of men like Victor.
Quietly, so as not to disturb her, William slipped past the bed and made his way to the small desk in the corner of their room. He pulled out a worn notebook, its pages already filled with his neat, precise handwriting. Flipping to a blank page, he began to jot down his thoughts, his pen scratching against the paper with a sense of urgency.
Attend one of Victor’s seminars, he thought as he wrote, underlining the words twice.Observe the attendees, look for changes in behavior. Talk to others who have been affected.
It was highly unlikely Chris was going to be on board with this, which was just another reason William needed to ask for forgiveness. They weren’t a unit anymore, they were a family. And families protected each other.
His mind raced with possibilities, each one more unsettling than the last. What if Victor was using some kind of mind control? What if he was building an army of loyal followers, ready to do his bidding without question?
William shook his head, trying to dispel the more fantastical theories. He needed facts, solid evidence that he could use to expose Victor’s true nature. And he would find it, no matter the cost.
“Emma’s safety is paramount,” he scribbled in the margin of the page with a whisper, a reminder to himself of what truly mattered.Our child’s future depends on it.
William closed the notebook and tucked it away. He had a plan now, a course of action to follow. And he would not rest until he had uncovered the truth behind Victor’s seminars and the hold they seemed to have over the island’s residents.
As he stood, stretching the kinks from his muscles, William felt a renewed sense of purpose. He had faced challenges before,had fought and survived in a world turned upside down. And he would do so again, for the sake of the woman he loved and the child they had created together.
“Okay then. Interaction first step. Seminars, with or without talking to Chris, second step.”
“You say something, Will?” Chris’s voice filtered from the hall as he appeared in the doorway.
William walked out and stood in the hall with Chris. “Yup, but nothing important. I’m going to head out a bit early to work. Everything from last night is wonderful, but I feel like a tiger in a cage now. We know something is up, we know we’re having a family, and I don’t want to just sit here and pretend we’re safe until we know for sure.”
Chris did the familiar scrub of his hand over his chin. “You’re completely right.” He leaned his neck to the side, sighing as it cracked. “You and I are best positioned to learn what’s going on with our connections to leadership. Alex can help in the clinic and Liam might have access to more files if he steals a keycard. I wanted to believe we were safe. I don’t trust Victor and not just because of the flimsy excuse he gave the other night for the boat attack.”
“What was that, by the way?” William ignored the way his body seemed to tense with the reminder. He’d almost lost Emma directly under his care.
“Claimed he was throwing the government off our trail.” Chris scoffed. “Come on, let’s get out of here and let’s find out if we’re safe or not.”
William nodded and stood, moving without another word to leave the house.
“William!” Barry, their closest neighbor, was out trimming a rose bush. “You all were a bit loud last night.” The slightly older guy said with a wink. “I thought I was lucky with a family in general in all this hell, but you guys…” he whistled.
William flushed. “Sorry about that. Had some important family news.”
“Well, enjoy it a lot, might just want to close your windows when the next wave of people arrive in a few months.”
Nodding William gave a small wave and ignored the wave of embarrassment. He’d never really thought about what it sounded like when they all pleasured Emma. Now he probably would.
There was no one else out in the cluster section for larger families, and he found himself utterly blank as he moved toward the main section where the apartment buildings stood.
“Joe!” William waved at a man he’d come to know as the best baker in the world.
“William, been a few days.” he ran a hand through his thick brown hair. “Come to the shop. I’ve got a pastry that’s Ranger-safe.”
“Oh, he’s going to love that,” William said and fell into step beside Joe. “I’ve been hearing a lot about these seminars lately. Seems like everyone’s talking about them.”
A flicker of uncertainty crossed his face, his gaze darting away from William’s. “They’re just workshops for how to get around and do things now, nothing special,” Joe, quickening his pace.
William’s instincts tingled, noting the way they avoided his questions and the tension in their shoulders. “I’m thinking about attending one myself,” he pressed gently, watching their reactions closely. “What do you think? Worth checking out?”
